Curious Cat Curio: Taiwan’s Hello Kitty Hospital

A friend of mine passed along this 2008 article about a 30 bed Hello Kitty hospital in Taiwan.  I have never considered myself a Hello Kitty fan.  The closest I have gotten to worshiping any Japanime creations was in 9th grade when I played through Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, and even Green, the last of which I had to download and play on the computer.  My Pokemon infatuation bordered on near obsession, but it is not like I was alone.  Back in 2000, every male at East Chapel Hill High had a gameboy and at least one Pokemon cartridge.  In a Southern high school, where amongs boys anything that seemed even a bit feminine was immediately dubbed ‘gay’, the fact that Pokemon became as popular as it did was a marketing miracle.

In the greater scheme of things, however, Pokemon was no more girly than He-Man, Thundercats, or even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and all three shows played a pivotal role in my childhood.  Ironically, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles played such a big role in my life that it actually led to me erasing precious memories of my childhood when I unknowingly recorded two month worth of shows on my grandpas VCR recordings of me as an infant.

The point is that I still remember these characters now and even as an adult talking with other adult males (as well as the occasional woman who grew up a tomboy) I take immense pleasure in playing up the virtues of ‘my shows’ and hearing others do the same about theirs.  It helps me connect with strangers, and further deepen/rekindle bonds with friends.

On the other hand, one thing I have never talked about with any of my friends, ever, is what hospital I was born in.  In fact, I have no idea what hospital I was born in.  My parents know what it is, and so maybe do their friends (though I doubt many of them remember the specifics).  And, I would love to visit the hospital room I was born in so that I could ask one more puzzle piece to my self-understanding.  But, I am pretty sure that my friends would not care and stranger’s even less so – it’s about as interesting as listening to someone explain you the virtues of ‘acid’ and ‘LSD’.

However, if every hospital in the world was affiliated with a cartoon, wouldn’t it be suddenly more fun to talk about it with friends? Imagine a conversation;

Me: “Dude, I dig that Toxic Avenger shirt.  Where’d you get it?”

Some Dude: “Ahh man, glad you like it brocef.  I was just down at Melvin Ferd Hospital in Tromaville, NJ .  Yeah, they had a reunion for all the babies from 1985.  We were the first Toxic Avenger class.  Yeah, that’s why its “Melvin Ferd Hospital” ’cause that’s his, like, human alter ego.  I mean, like, not quite ego, but former human identity, ’cause, you know, the New Jersey chemicals like totally broke his face up.  Haha.  Wicked.”

Me: “No way man, you were a Toxic Avenger baby! That’s freackin’ sick!  Yeah, I was born in Split, Former-Yugoslavia, in the Shaggy and Scooby Doo Hospital.  I was actually the first Scooby Doo class.  Ha. Class of 1985 too. Haha.  Yeah, I know its wierd because most of the 1st class Scooby Doo people you meet these days were born in the 1970s but most American shows came to Yugoslavia like a decade late…so, yeah.  Scooby Doo, first class.”

Why are there not more hospitals like this? (And why do my characters sound like teenagers from 1995?)  I think there should be a white paper commissioned on this topic.  Let me know – I am willing to do it!